Ashley Bryan Art Series Collection, 1974-2022
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- African American Research Library and Cultural Center
- Extent:
- 27 Artwork
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Ashley Bryan Art Series Collection, AARLCC Special Collections, Broward County Library.
Background
- Scope and content:
The Ashley Bryan Art Series Collection contains original pieces of artwork donated by artists who have been honored as the featured illustrator during the Ashley Bryan Art Series at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center.
- Biographical / historical:
Since 2002, AARLCC's Ashley Bryan Art Series has provided programming and outreach to Broward County youth with the goal of educating and inspiring art appreciation and literacy. The Ashley Bryan Art Series hosts nationally recognized illustrators of African descent. Each year, the participating featured illustrator donates a piece of original art from one of their children's books to AARLCC Special Collections.
When AARLCC was opening in 2002, Dr. Henrietta M. Smith (1922-2021) asked renowned illustrator Ashley Bryan to donate some of his original artwork to the library's new archive. Bryan agreed on the condition that AARLCC continue to celebrate and uplift illustrators of color. In response, Dr. Smith worked with the Broward County Library to establish the Ashley Bryan Art Series, at which Bryan himself was the first featured illustrator. He was also the featured illustrator at the 2005 and 2012 Ashely Bryan Art Series.
Ashley Bryan
Ashley Bryan (1923-2022) illustrated over 70 children's books, many of which he also wrote. Bryan was an early advocate of diverse representation in children's literature, and dedicated his career to creating books that celebrated children of color and their culture.
Ashley Bryan started making art when he was very young and made his first book when he was five years old.
At the age of 16, he was accepted to the Cooper Union School of Art after being rejected from many others on the basis of his race. In 1943 he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in World War II. After being honorably discharged he enrolled at Columbia University where he graduated Cum Laude. He continued to study and teach art for his entire life.
In 1967 his illustrations first appeared in the book Moon, for What Do You Wait featuring poems by Rabindranath Tagore. Bryan was the recipient of numerous awards, winning the Coretta Scott King Award more than any other author/illustrator.
Dr. Henrietta M. Smith
Dr. Henrietta M. Smith was a librarian and professor who believed in providing quality literature to children. She moved to South Florida with her husband, Isaiah Smith, who was a civil rights lawyer and activist in Palm Beach County and later served as circuit judge for Palm Beach County. Early in her career, Henrietta Smith worked as a school media specialist for the Broward County Public Schools.
In 1975, she completed her doctorate degree at the University of Miami and joined the faculty of the Florida Atlantic University's School of Education. After ten years at Florida Atlantic, she joined the faculty of the University of South Florida's School of Library Science, where she was the first African American faculty member on USF's Fort Lauderdale campus. She trained library specialists to meet new demands and provide cutting-edge services to patrons.
She also worked as a consultant to the Broward County Library system, building the children's book collection at the Pompano Beach Library and provided many storytelling programs for children.
Dr. Smith made a major impact the trajectory of children's literature through her work with the Caldecott Book Awards, the Newberry Award, and the Coretta Scott King Book Awards. She was also an active member of the American Library Association.
List of Featured Illustrators:
2002: Ashley Bryan
2003: Pat Cummings
2004: Kadir Nelson
2005: Ashley Bryan
2006: Bryan Collier
2007: Jerry Pinkney
2008:
2009: James E. Ransome
2010: Shadra Strickland
2011: Floyd Cooper
2012: Ashley Bryan
2013: Shane Evans
2014: Colin Bootman
2015: E.B. Lewis
2016: Charles R. Smith, Jr.
2017: Brian Pinkney
2018: Javaka Steptoe
2019: Ekua Holmes
2020: Laura Freeman
2021: Nina Crews
2022-2023: Jerry Craft
2024: Johnnie Christmas
2025: Jeffery Boston Weatherford
2026: Vashti Harrison
- Acquisition information:
- Henrietta Smith donated 8 original art pieces to the African American Research Library and Cultural Center Special Collections in 2003 (Accession 2003.9). Illustrators donate artwork to the collection annually.
- Processing information:
The collection was processed by Emily Calderon in 2023. Accruals were processed and the finding aid updated by Erin Purdy in December 2025. Accruals were processed and the finding aid updated by Erin Purdy in September 2026.
- Accruals:
The repository continues to add materials to this collection annually.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Restrictions:
The Ashley Bryan Art Series Collection is open for research. The artwork is on public display in AARLCC's Youth Services department.
- Preferred citation:
Ashley Bryan Art Series Collection, AARLCC Special Collections, Broward County Library.
- Location of this collection:
-
African American Research Library and Cultural Center, Broward County Library2650 Sistrunk BoulevardFort LauderdaleFL33311USA
